There are 25 neighbourhoods in Somerset classed as "highly deprived" by the Government, statistics reveal.

Analysis of a wide-range of data, including employment status, income, health and education, has pinpointed the neighbourhoods, or Lower layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs), in the county most at risk of deprivation.

Areas in Taunton, Yeovil, Bridgwater, Highbridge and Glastonbury rank among the most deprived in Somerset.

There are also areas in Chard, Frome and Wellington among the top 25.

A report on the findings reads: "The English Indices of Deprivation 2015 are based on 37 separate indicators.

"The data can be used to assess which parts of Somerset face particular challenges, down to very small geographical areas.

"Of the 327 LSOAs in Somerset, 25 are within the most deprived 20 per cent nationally according to the latest study.

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"Sedgemoor has the highest number of LSOAs in this category (11), followed by South Somerset (7), Taunton Deane (5) and Mendip (2). These LSOAs have a combined population of around 37,900."

Of the 25 "highly deprived" neighbourhoods in the most recent data from 2015, nine are among the most deprived 10 per cent nationally, denoted in pink below.

25 Somerset neighbourhoods are classed as "highly deprived", according to Government statistics

Despite six Yeovil neighbourhoods being in the top 25, the town is also home to the least deprived neighbourhood in Somerset, Sampson's Wood, which ranks within the 1 per cent least deprived nationally.

The Indices were published by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).